Disclaimer:Square-Enix reserves the right to all characters included in this fic.

Summary: After the events of Kingdom Hearts, Kairi can't seem to recall anything about the boy who saved her, or the promises they made. SoKai.


Far-Off Memory

It's freezing, I think to myself, as I sit on the seashore. The sun has just set, leaving the sky pitch black. The island is lit by the radiance of the moon, the glimmering of the stars. The waves lap back and forth in front of me, and the gentle sea breeze cuts through the oppressive humidity that has come with the recent and not-at-all-uncommon heat wave that had been plaguing the island. I can hear others around me, happy about the cool ocean air finally providing a moment's reprieve after it has stood so still the past few days.

But I'm cold.

I know that there was a time where I would have enjoyed this, too. As I look up at the stars above, I recall complaining about the heat quite often. I would welcome the occasional zephyr, the sweet satisfaction of cold, sticky ice cream with Riku and—

I clutch my head and shut my eyes tight.

Who?

But no matter how hard I pull my hair, or how tightly I scrunch up my face and grimace, my mind still goes blank whenever I think of him.

"…you lazy bum. I knew I'd find you snoozing down here."

Who was I talking to?

"I told you before, I don't remember…nothing."

What couldn't I remember?

"No matter where I go, or what I see, I know I can always come back here. Right?"

"It's my lucky charm, be sure to bring it back to me!"

Who did I give it to? Why?

"Don't ever forget: wherever you go, I'm always with you."

That last one pains me the most to remember. I can see myself, in a musty tunnel not unlike the secret place on the little islet I used to play on with Riku and the other boy. We're about to be apart again, and I know he's going up against something I never thought he'd be able to handle—but for some reason, I'm confident he can overcome it. And I want him to know I have faith in him.

But the color of his hair, the twinkle in his eyes, the shape of his face, or the way he reacts to what I say—I can't recall a single detail of it.

So much for having faith in someone whose name or face I can't even bring myself to remember, huh?

I feel empty.

And I have this strange feeling—that if he knew that I had forgotten, it would crush him.

I can see him now. Those down-turned, sky blue eyes. He scratches the back of his neck with his hand, running his fingers through his caramel brown hair—his nervous tick. He knows about the gaps in my memory, the holes in my heart. He feigns a little smile, but I can see right through it.

"I'm so sorry…" is all I can manage to say to him.

He shakes his head and walks over, takes a seat on the sand right next to me and looks up at the sky. I can see the shimmer from the stars reflect off his eyes, the moonlight make his skin glow—that familiar radiance.

"We made a promise, right?" he asks, turning my way.

"R-right…" I reply, embarrassed at the fact that I can barely recollect it. It dawns on me all of a sudden. "You would bring my lucky charm back to me…and that, I'd always be with you, no matter where you go."

"Yeah!" His grin turns into the big, cheerful one that perpetually engraved his face. "Listen, Kairi, I know things don't make a lot of sense right now…a lot of stuff has happened that I can't really explain right now—" he suddenly becomes more somber, "but, those promises are still there. Nothing's broken them. You're still always with me. And, it might be a little longer than I hoped, but, I know I'm gonna give that lucky charm back to you. You know it, too."

I feel a small smile creep up on my face, and a sudden warmth floods my body.

"We're always in each other's hearts, right, Sora?"

He gives me a reassuring nod. I feel so safe, and all the insecurity that has been plaguing me has gone away. I'm in complete bliss.

Everything goes black.

"Kairi! Kairi! Open your eyes!" a voice calls out.

Sora?

A girl suddenly comes into view. Her green eyes are afflicted with worry, her brow quivering in fear.

"Selphie? What's wrong?" I ask her. Her concerned expression is suddenly exchanged for one full of relief. I realize that I'm laying flat on my back, Selphie standing over me.

"You collapsed! I was so worried! But you're awake now…" she cries out in relief, as I sit back up.

"How long…was I out for?" I inquire, as I run my fingers through my hair, trying to get out any sand from its strands. I feel so dazed. Shivers run down my spine as the chill from the ocean air pierces my skin. The hollowness is still there.

"A couple of minutes…but you really had us worried! Tidus and Wakka ran for help, but I'm sure they'll be back soon. Anyway, the most important thing is that you're okay!"

I give her a small smile, as I hug my knees into my chest in an attempt to become warm. It's futile. I feel my mouth fall into a frown.

"Kairi, are you really okay?" Selphie inquires. "Did you have a bad dream, or something? You were mumbling something at the end there…"

I bury my face into my knees.

"I'm not sure, I can't remember…"


A/N: Thanks for reading, here's my first fic! Set between Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts 2, I've always wondered about Kairi's perspective during this time because she isn't featured at all in both games that recount this time gap.

I decided to slip in some sophisticated vocabulary, even though this is told in the first-person POV, because I think Kairi is actually capable of thinking like that, judging from her letter to Sora in KH2. I thought it would be good practice.

The ending to the story is sad...I kept it that way because I felt that this time would be a depressing and confusing one for her. While I'm sure she had her happy moments, this little one-shot recounts one of the several moments I can picture her feeling especially ashamed and at a loss for not remembering Sora. We know that the eventual ending to the story is gonna be a happy one when they ARE reunited, so I know that that hope still lingers for you guys at the end anyway :3

Hope you guys enjoy it! PLEASE leave comments and constructive criticism!

And if you guys have any promps/requests Kairi-related for future one-shots, let me know :)